With Valentines Day upon us, do you notice and hear visons of love floating around in your heart, in your head and everywhere?
Expectations can run high as to what you may receive, who loves you, how will they show it, or perhaps you choose to ignore this day of love altogether. With this theme of love surrounding me, I feel very inspired to share an easy, fun and free way to express love on Valentines day, or any day!
Some of you may know that one of my passions is having volunteered for St. John’s Ambulance with my Golden Retriever, Meesha for the past seven years. Meesha, my husband and I have contributed over 500 volunteer hours, spreading love with seniors and children alike. As Meesha turned 11 this past fall (approximately 77 years in doggy world), we felt it was time she semi retire from the Therapy Dog Program and just spread her love in a more organic way. She now visits my mother in her Independent Living Facility, has special visits to Pentiction to share her love with residents at my husband’s place of work at an Independant Seniors Residence and occasionally comes to work with me to sit in with clients who are pet lovers.
In December there was a invitation from St. John’s Ambulance for any Dog Handlers and their Therapy Dogs to join a six week study program at UBCO entitled: Promoting First Year Students Social-Emotional Well Being through Animal Assisted Therapy. The program is called B.A.R.K.= Building Academic Retention Through K9’s. This study program is organized by Dr. John Tyler Binfet, Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Education at UBCO. Dr. Binfet states they hope the results of this study will help university faculty better understand aspects of university students’ social and emotional development. Moreover, they are hopeful the findings will contribute to a better understanding of how to promote positive connections for students living in residence at universities through the use of Animal Assisted Therapy.
From my understanding there has been an overwhelming response to the program, with over 75 students volunteering and there’s a waiting list to participate. How does it work? In a nutshell, over an 8 week period Meesha and I and 10 other handlers and their Therapy Dogs visit UBCO on Friday afternoons. Each handler is assigned 3 students. Meesha spends the hour sharing her unconditional love with the students. They in turn give their unconditional love through pats to Meesha. This is where the “heavy petting” comes in. I am in awe observing this amazing circle of giving and receiving unconditional love in the petting of the dog(s), watching them doing tricks, grooming them and the loving intercommunication. We are only in our third week and already I am noticing heartwarming communication and connections between the students and Meesha. A recent study from the University of Missouri suggests that within minutes of petting a dog, there is a massive release of beneficial hormones that induce a sense of pleasure and happiness. I witness this each week as I walk in the room with Meesha and see the smiles on the students’ faces as they greet the dogs.So there you have it. A simple, free, and fun way to give and receive love today and every day. I encourage you to try this with your favourite dog and let me know the results. Remember to take a lint brush if this is a breed that sheds. If you don’t own a dog, find somewhere to volunteer like the SPCA or borrow a friend’s dog. Oh and if you’re not a dog lover, well find a cat or stick to chocolate (the same hormones are released yet remember compared to chocolate, petting has no calories!)
As always, love to hear of your adventures of Lovin Livin!
In Joy and Love,
Geri & Meesha